Deep evolutionary genomics of Monogenea

The Neodermata (Platyhelminthes) are a highly diverse assemblage of obligate parasitic flatworms, comprising Cestoda (tapeworms), Monogenea, and Trematoda (flukes), many of biomedical, veterinary and economic importance. Together, they span an impressive range of hosts and parasitic lifestyles. Despite decades of research, however, the relationships between the main parasitic lineages remain contentious. Recent work has sought to resolve the controversy by means of phylogenomic inference, but particularly Monogenea remain vastly underrepresented in these datasets, despite their importance and ubiquity. With their simple, direct life cycles, monogeneans are key for understanding the shift towards obligate parasitism of vertebrates, the evolutionary history of ecto- and endoparasitism, and the emergence of complex life cycles in Neodermata. In the course of the project we propose to assemble draft genomes for 50 representatives of the Monogenea, and aim, by means of cutting edge bioinformatics/phylogenomics methods, to: (i) elucidate the phylogenetic position of the Monogenea and thus the origins of vertebrate parasitism within the Platyhelminthes, (ii) infer the interrelationships of Monogenea and test hypotheses of deep evolutionary host-parasite interactions, and (iii) identify genomic features associated with the diverse parasitic life history strategies employed by the Monogenea, and Neodermata in general. This project is a multidisciplinary and collaborative effort aiming at performing innovative research in the field of evolutionary parasitology, facilitating the complementary expertise and networks of the involved researchers.

The Neodermata (Platyhelminthes) are a highly diverse assemblage of obligate parasitic flatworms, comprising Cestoda (tapeworms), Monogenea, and Trematoda (flukes), many of biomedical, veterinary and economic importance. Together, they span an impressive range of hosts, encompassing all major vertebrate groups and several invertebrates, and of lifestyles, with ectoparasitic and endoparasitic representatives infecting a wide spectrum of host organs. Despite decades of research, however, the relationships between the main parasitic lineages are controversial. Monogeneans, with their simple, direct life cycles are key groups in understanding the shift towards obligate parasitism of vertebrates and the emergence of complex life cycles within tapeworms and flukes. Recent work has sought to resolve the controversy by means of phylogenomic inference, i.e. utilizing genome-wide evidence, but particularly the Monogenea remain vastly underrepresented in these datasets, despite their importance and ubiquity. Moreover, resolving the interrelationships of monogeneans themselves, promises to provide answers to key questions concerning host shifts and the evolutionary history of ecto- and endoparasitism. Monogenean flatworms are the dominant ectoparasites of fishes, with a number of species constituting important threats to aquaculture and fisheries worldwide. In the course of the project we assembled 70 mitochondrial- and drafts of 40 nuclear genomes of representatives of the Monogenea. Based on these data, we seek, by means of cutting edge bioinformatics/phylogenomics methods, to (i) resolve the phylogenetic relationships within the Neodermata and Monogenea, (ii) identify evolutionary transitions of biological and ecological characteristics, (iii) identify genomic features associated with the diverse parasitic life history strategies employed, and (iv) infer co-speciation and host-switching events that occured in the evolutionary history of the group. New insights are published and raw data made available to the public continuously. The new genomic data and insights generated will in the mid- to long-term (although not the primary goal of the project) serve as a foundation for the development of anthelmintic treatments against parasitic flatworms.